Environmental Policy
The Environmental policy unit aims to produce policy-oriented research to support environmentally sound decision-making in Israel. Our projects include:
Environment and Health
Environmental Health (EH) is an inter-agency issue, determined by multiple governmental agencies (The Ministries of Health, Environment, Transportation, Agriculture, Energy and others), often requiring collaboration between them. This entails barriers for advancing EH governance by reducing conflicting priorities and interests between ministries and encouraging collaboration from different disciplinary backgrounds. This research maps inter-agency dynamics regarding EH policy in Israel by comparing it to other countries. The research identifies the policy implications of different collaboration modes, using case studies such as the regulation of pesticides in agriculture and the implementation of the Clean Air Act in Israel. The research is conducted in collaboration with relevant ministries such and aims to design policy-oriented recommendations to advance environmental health policy and governance in Israel.
This research is a cooperation between the Hartog School and the Environment Health Fund (EHF).
A framework for regulating the usage of pesticides in agriculture in Israel (in Hebrew)
Strengthening Apartment Buildings in Periphery Areas in Israel
In the past, devastating earthquakes occurred in the region along the Syrian-African rift and experts believe that such earthquakes will occur again in the future. Since Israel's establishment, 800,000 apartments were built prior to the setting of an appropriate building standard for earthquake resistance.
The study's aim is to develop a viable policy package to be considered by the Israeli government for the strengthening of apartment buildings against earthquakes in periphery areas in Israel. Rationales for intervention, relevant policy alternatives and their interrelations and barriers for effective policy implementation will be studied and analyzed as a basis for formulating specific policy packages.
This research is a cooperation between the Hartog School and the School of Public Policy at the Hebrew University and is funded by the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology.
Read the final report (in Hebrew).
Clean Israel
The Israeli public sphere is plagued by a host of man-made enviornmental problems. Littering in the streets, parks and nature is common and abundant. This policy project is aimed at designing guidelines for prevention of littering for the Israeli context, taking into account parameters such as the diverse social fabric of Israel and Israeli culture. Based on extensive, worldwide policy research, the guidelines will be based on multiple layers, including policy tools, educational components and private sector cooperation.
This research is a cooperation between the Hartog School and the SPNI.
Read project summary here (Hebrew).
Environmental Platform for Local Municipalities
Milka Carmel, a senior Goldman Fellow, authored an environmental platform which was adopted by the Union of local Authorities in Israel for candidates in the 2013 local government election. The platform presents an ambitious and innovative vision for all urban levels -- houses, streets, neighborhoods, and city council. On the right-hand side of the document, a vision is presented, while the left side proposes measures to implement the vision.
Israel's National Ecosystem Assessment (I-NEA) - Health Chapter
Israel's National Ecosystem Assessment (I-NEA) was initiated at the end of 2012, and is being conducted by HaMaarag - Israel's National Nature Assessment Program. Ecosystem assessments summarize current knowledge on the state of and trends in a multitude ecosystems, as well as analyzing the services they provide to humanity. These assesments do not aim to produce new primary knowledge, but rather to collect and synthesize existing knowledge and to present information relevant for decision-making, planning and policy formulation regarding a publicly significant issue. The importance of the services that Israeli society receives from the country's ecosystems, and quantification of their value. The health chapter in the assessment is led by Prof. Nadav Davidovitch and Dr. Maya Negev.
